Suitcase.



s anni @EUR GYBUS F. .'BLANKE, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIG-NOR TO ST. LOUIS TIN' r, SHEET METAL WORKING C0., F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION 0F MISSOURI.

SUITCASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Apr. i, 1.919.

Application led December 7, 1917. Serial No. 205,967.

' To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Crans F. Brianna, a

citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Suitcase, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a case, and more particularly to the class of metallic suit cases.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a case of this character in which the body thereof is made from sheet material, preferably metal, in a plurality of sections, which are united in a unique manner to insure strength and rigidity to the body as a unit, and, at the same time avoid the use of corner clips or other reinforcements thereby enabling the case to be constructed and assembled at a minimum eX- pense, and reducing the cost of manufacture.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a case of this character, which is light in weight, neat and attractive in appearance, and useful as a sample or traveling case, although the same may be used for any other purpose.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the case constructed in accordance with the invention, closed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional. view on the line 4`4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the case open, with the side or bottom removed.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the side or bottom removed.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing inA detail, A

designates generally the body, and B the s swinging top or cover section of the case, which is preferably made from sheet metal,

although the same can other suitable material.

rllhe body A comprises a substantially rectangular-shaped frame, formed from a sirip bent to provide the walls 9, 10 and 1.1, respectively, of said body, while the wall 12 opposite the wall 10 is formed from a separate strip which is of less length than said wall, the meeting ends of the two strips being vunited by overlapping interlocked joints or seams 13, which securely fasten and hold the strips together, without the use of rivets or other like fasteners.

The side 14, which constitutes the bottom of the body A, is formed. from a single section, stamped or cast by the use of a die or other form to provide a marginal unbroken ange 15, the free edge of which is rolled or outwardly and inwardly curled to form a reinforcing bead 16 which is offset from the iiange, and this marginal flange 15 embraces the frame exteriorly of all of its walls to close one side of said frame. By reason of the offset disposition of the bead the mar'- ginal edge of the body fits flat against the inner side of the flange.

At intervals throughout the extent of the' marginal flange 15, are rivets 17, which are passed therethrough, and also through the frame for securing the side 14 thereto.

The other side 18 of the case constitutes the swinging top or cover section for the case, and is made from a single section, stamped or cast in a manner identical with the formation of the side 14, to provide a marginal unbroken flange 19, having the outwardly offset reinforcing bead 20, which is coextensive with the flange except at the points of location of the hinges 21, which are riveted or otherwise fastened to the wall 12 near the seams 13, for swingingly con necting the top or cover section to the frame. The bead 20 is formed by outwardly and in.- wardly curving the free edge of the flange 19, thereby reinforcing the side 18', and this flange 19 embraces the frame when the top or cover section is closed. The outward disposition of the bead 20 on the cover section has the same purpose as the offset arrangement of the bead 16 of the bottom section.

Mounted on the frame upon the wall 10, is the usual handle 22, for the convenient carriage of the suitcase when in use, while on opposite sides of this handle and fixed to the frame and the top or cover section 18,

be made from any are the parts 23 and 24, respectively, of clamps for fastening the top or cover section closed, the clamps being of the ordinary well known construction.

It will be noted that, the suit case is formed of four separate pieces, excluding the handle, the locking connections and hinges, the body being made of three pieces, and the cover of a single piece. By this construction, the corners of the suit case are left unbroken, with 'the result that metal reinforcements are made unnecessary, the beads at 16 and 20 not only imparting to the suit case an ornamental appearance, but also strengthening the same.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction of the case will be clearly understood, and therefore a more extended eX- planation has been omitted. However, changes, variations and modifications may be made in the case, such as come properly within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed is In a suit case, the combination with a rectangular body frame formed of sheet metal with four unbroken corners or angles, 4said body frame having one wall formed of a separate strip of less length than said wall and joined by seams to the remaining portion of said frame, of two sides forming the top and bottom of the case, each side being stamped from sheet metal to provide a marginal flangewith solid corners, with an outwardly offset bead at the free'edge of said flange, the said body having its free edgesfitting within the flanges of said sides and bearing flat against the inner faces of said flanges, rivets securing the free edge of the body to the flange of the side forming the bottom below the bead thereof, andV hinges connecting the .flange of the side forming the top to the sepa-rate strip of the body contiguous to said seams.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing` as my own, I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CYRUS F. BLANKE.

Witnesses:

WILL DANERNHEIM, E. C. HOFFERKAMP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

